All-Ireland SFC R1: Louth bounce back with superb win

​All-Ireland SFC Round 1

Louth 4-18 Dublin 1-24

By Paul Keane at Croke Park

So this is what you call having the last laugh.

Four weeks after being schooled by Dublin in the Leinster SFC in Portlaoise, Louth returned to haunt their conquerors, scoring a first Championship win over the Sky Blues since 1973.

That's over 50 years of hurt and, at times, torment that all came flooding out in a scintillating second half display as Louth threw caution to the wind and pulled off a thrilling Croke Park win.

They trailed by six points at half time but two rapid-fire goals from James Maguire early in the second half pulled the Wee County right back into it and Craig Lennon supplied their fourth goal late on, turning the screw on Dean Rock's Dubs.

Kieran McArdle scored Louth's first goal in the opening half while there were huge performances too from substitutes Ciarán Byrne, who was named man of the match, and Ryan Burns.

Captain Sam Mulroy weighed in with five important points also as Louth surged through to Tuesday's draw for Round 2A.

Cormac Costello led the line for Dublin, registering eight points, while the returning Con O'Callaghan scored 1-3 but they ultimately slipped to their second consecutive defeat having lost the Leinster final to Westmeath.

Dublin will also go into Tuesday's draw for Round 2B though if they're to regain the All-Ireland title, it'll take them an extra game at least.

Hugh O'Sullivan was a late addition to the Dublin lineup for his first start since the last round of the League, and his Championship debut.

There were late Louth changes too, Seán Callaghan coming in for Conor Early at midfield and Conal McKeever replacing Dermot Campbell in defence.

Louth were desperate to avoid another passive performance like the one they delivered against Dublin in Portlaoise on May 2.

But they played much of the opening half on Dublin's terms.

Charlie McMorrow cut through for the first of three first half points in the opening seconds, fisting over at the Hill 16 End.

With 11 minutes on the clock, Dublin led by 0-7 to 0-2 and buzzed with attacking intent, Costello and Seán Bugler particularly bright.

Louth got it going for 10 minutes or so and made hay in that period midway through the half.

Dara McDonnell won a long-range free after being tripped by Bugler and Mulroy nailed the two-pointer.

Mulroy sniped another single from a free, then Ciarán Downey intercepted a stray Costello kick-pass and raced clear for another point.

From the kick-out, Louth won possession beneath the Cusack Stand and McArdle came haring away with the ball, eventually stepping inside Brian Howard and blasting to the net.

Just like that, Louth were 1-6 to 0-8 ahead and it would have been significantly worse from Dublin's perspective had David Byrne and Seán MacMahon not cleared off the line from Lennon and Maguire.

But two minutes after the McArdle goal, King Con was picked out with a diagonal pass by Kennedy from the right wing, turned away from Donal McKenny and slipped a low shot beyond Niall McDonnell.

It was textbook O'Callaghan, providing the injection of class and quality just when it was required.

Dublin had been threatening a goal as Costello had twice come close and O'Callaghan himself had an earlier shot blocked by Daire Nally.

McMorrow, Bugler and Costello added points before the break and Dublin were sitting pretty with a 1-12 to 1-6 advantage.

That lead went up in smoke in a third quarter that Louth sizzled in.

Louth outscored Dublin by 2-5 to 0-1 in the first eight minutes of the second half as they moved up a couple of gears.

Burns' half time introduction paid off with a two-pointer from the Hunterstown Rovers man followed by Maguire's two-goal blast.

The Carrickmacross clubman finished off his left foot for the first goal after latching onto a long ball down the right wing.

For the second, he showed his strength to get his fist to a chipped ball across the Dublin goalmouth by Conor Grimes, beating Dublin duo O'Sullivan and Byrne in the air.

By the time Louth lifted the siege, they led 3-11 to 1-13.

From there on, it was more akin to a tennis match, the ball flying back and forth from one end to the other.

The sides were tied six times in all in the second half as each of them had their moments and purple patches.

A Bugler two-pointer and a couple of O'Callaghan points were highlights for the 2023 All-Ireland winners.

Byrne provided a big impact for Louth, picking off three singles and McArdle fisted over the equaliser in the 64th minute.

It stayed that way until the 68th minute when a Downey two-point attempt cannoned off the woodwork and Dublin failed to clear, Lennon taking full advantage with Louth's fourth goal.

Louth scorers: James Maguire 2-0, Craig Lennon 1-2, Sam Mulroy 0-5 (1 tpf, 2f), Kieran McArdle 1-1, Ciarán Byrne 0-3, Dara McDonnell 0-2 (tp), Ryan Burns 0-2 (tp), Ciarán Downey 0-2, Paul Matthews 0-1.

Dublin scorers: Cormac Costello 0-8 (1 tp, 2f), Con O'Callaghan 1-3, Seán Bugler 0-4 (1 tp), Charlie McMorrow 0-3, Paddy Small 0-3, Killian McGinnis 0-1, Niall Scully 0-1, Ciarán Kilkenny 0-1.

Louth: Niall McDonnell; Daire Nally, Donal McKenny, Emmet Carolan; Conall McKeever, Dara McDonnell, Craig Lennon; Conor Early, Seán Callaghan; Ciarán Downey, Sam Mulroy, Conor Grimes; Conall McCaul, James Maguire, Kieran McArdle.

Subs: Ryan Burns for Early h/t, Ciarán Byrne for McCaul 42, Tommy Durnin for Callaghan 42, Paul Matthews for Grimes 53, Leonard Gray for Maguire 64.

Dublin: Hugh O'Sullivan; Seán MacMahon, Nathan Doran, David Byrne; Charlie McMorrow, Greg McEneaney, Eoin Kennedy; Brian Howard, Seán Bugler; Killian McGinnis, Niall Scully, Ciarán Kilkenny; Paddy Small, Con O'Callaghan, Cormac Costello.

Subs: Lee Gannon for Kennedy 41, Ethan Dunne for McGinnis 43, Cian Murphy for McEneaney 45, Liam Smith for Doran 58, Tom Lahiff for McMorrow 65.

Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan).